Method and apparatus for operating internal-combustion engines on composite mixturesof diesel fuel oil and gasoline



Jan. 8, 1952 M N Y 2,581,458

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES ON COMPOSITE MIXTURES OF DIESEL FUEL OIL AND GASOLINE -Fi1ed Jan. 22, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Jan. 8, 1952 THOMPSON 2,581,458

METHOD AND APPARATUS O ATING INTERNAL- M STI E NES ON COMPOSITE MIXTURES DIESEL FUEL. OI GA IN Filed Jan. 22, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 5' Q s E g-3N 206 3 WV s\\ ij 3: A

& 31:? E

INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 8, 1952 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES ON COMPOSITE MIXTURES: OF DIESEL FUEL OIL AND GASOLINE:

- Leslie D. Thompsom lolo; P. I.

ApplicationJannary 22, 1946, Serial No. 642,626

6 claims. (01. 123- 3 3) My invention relates broadly to engines, and more particularly to mechanism for utilizing diesel fuel oil in combination with gasoline as a driving media for internalcombustion engines;

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an arrangement of'a fuel ieeding mechanism for internal combustion engines by which theconsumption of gasoline may be economized by emplaying a fuel mixture in which more readily available, and cheaper diesel fuel oil is used.

Another object ofmy invention is to provide a construction of rare-combustion chambers" for internal combustion engines for utilizing composite diesel, or other heavyiuel oil with gasoline as a fuel mixture for driving internal combustion engines.

Still another object of myinvention is to provide a construction of pre combustion chambers which may be connected through the spark plug aperture of an internal combustion'engin'e cylinder; where theme-combustion chamber constituted by two sections, into one of which vaporized gasoline is introduced and into the otheroi which vaporized, or heavy diesel fuel oil is introduced for composite operation as a driving media forinternal combustion engines; G

still another object of my invention is to provide a construction of pro-combustion chamber connect'able with an internal combustion engine cylinder for utilizing as a combustable mixture combined gasoline and diesel or heavy fuel oil in proportions in which the diesel or heavyfuel oil predominatesfor'forming a driving mixture for operating the internal combustion engine.

Other-and further objects of my invention reside in the' combustion of gasoline and diesel, or

heavy fuel oil feeding, vaporizing and mixing chambers associated with an internal combustion engine for the economical operationof the engine as set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings which show the system and mechanism of my invention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic layout of the system of my invention showing the application of the combination gasoline and heavy fuel oil feeding system to an engine in accordance with my invene tion; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of one of the metering valves showing the valve moved to one of its extreme limits closing the airpipe; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig-2; Fig. 4 is a View corresponding to Fig. 3 and illustrating the metering valveadjusted to its opposite ex treme position for opening the ail-pipe to the 2 maximum exent; Fig. 5 is an enlargedira'gmentary vertical sectional view through the intake valve'fortheheavy fuel oil leadin to the precombus'tion chamber with certain of the parts shown in elevation; and, Fig. 6 isa transverse sectional view taken substantially on linefi fi of Fig. 5.

My invention requires the use of two fuel tanks to supply the pro-combustion chambers on an engine in accordance with'my invention, one for gasoline andone for diesel fuel oil or other'heavy fuel oil. The gasoline supply for the system 'illus tr'ated'is connected at 3i while the'di'esel fuel supply is connected at 32for providing respec tivelythe gasoline tool feed and'the dieserruel feed for the engine. The intake manifold of the engine is "detached from the carburetor and thus supplies pure air to the cylinders. A charge of gasoline flows by gravity, or is pumped, and forced and drawnfrom the tank connected to pipe 31 through pressure valve 35 and through a pipe line into section 2 of the pre-combusti'on-chamber through a nozzle 25, check valve 26, passing intake valve 22 where carburetion takes place. A'charge of diesel fuel oilflows by gravity, or is pumped, and forced and drawn through pipe 32" from another tank into section! of the ro-combustion chamber through diesel fuelfeed chamber 38, check valve 26a, and" nozzle 2511' through intake spring valve 23 regulate'd'by stem 23a, or some other similar-device;

In the form "shown the stem 23a is screw threaded through plate number 24 keyed by lateral projection "24a to. slide along the inner walls of'the intake pressure valve housing 1; in keyway 7c. The stein 23a may be adjusted. by removing c'ap la from housing! and revolving stein 23a with a tool 37 which increases or decreases the eife'ctive. pressure of spring 23b a the distance between the plate memberM and the guide To for the stem 2'3a-is varied.

The gasoline vaporin section 2" is exploded by the regular ignition o'f'the gasoline engine. The spark plug for this purpose is inserted into section 2 in the position 6. The pressure of the ignited charge forces the charge through port opening 6 into section I igniting the diesel fuel oil and vapor therein. The vapor is caused by the heat of the pro-combustion chamber after the engine has been warmed up and by the spray action in 25a. The resultant pressure forces the burning charge through. port 5 into the combustion chamber-or cylinder of engine designated at 9 where the combustion is completed thus generating power which has a slow even impulse like a diesel engine. The

explosion is not instantaneous as when gasoline alone is used in an ordinary gasoline engine consequently most of the knocks common in gasoline engines in slow hard pulls are eliminated.

The pre-combustion chamber can be built into the combustion section of internal combustion engines during initial production. The construction, however, is particularly applicable as an attachment for existing internal combustion engines and will be referred to herein in that application without limiting my invention thereto.

The pre-combustion chamber is made of steel, iron, aluminum or similar material. It may vary as to shape and size and may be attached to the engine cylinder horizontally, vertically or at an angle. This is usually determined by the position of spark plug opening as the pre-combustion chamber is usually attached by removing the spark plug from cylinder and substituting the pre-combustion chamber, which is screwed into the opening as hereinbefore mentioned. The proportion of gasoline and diesel fuel oil may vary so long as enough gasoline is employed to fire the charges in sections 2 and l. A typical size for warm climate is about 50% larger than represented in the drawing, in which section I is about /20 as large as the combustion section of the associated engine cylinder, and section 2 is approximately ,5 the size of section gasoline and 95% diesel fuel oil works satisfactorily in the tropic but this can vary widely. In some engines now in use gasoline is employed in starting and after the engine has become heated the gasoline is cut off and diesel fuel oil or other heavy fuel oil is turned on. Gasoline is used continuously with the pre-combustion chamber of my invention and the diesel fuel oil does not come in contact with the spark plugs which keeps them clean and accounts for much of the success of the device of my invention. That is to say, the gases immediately around the spark plug are gasoline vapors while the diesel oil vapors are removed from immediate proximity with the spark plug. The explosive sequence is accordingly established first through the gasoline vapor ignition which fires the heavier oil vapors which in turn effect the explosive drive force.

The mechanism of my invention includes a pressure valve connected to the combustion section of the engine cylinder which fires just before the one to which the pre-combustion chamber is attached. The connection may be made by screwing pressure valve into an opening through wall of cylinder 33. The pressure valve is set to close just before the ignition of cylinder from which the pressure is taken. The pressure valve plunger or piston I2 is forced up and closes intake valve l4 until the pressure is released after the ignition and power cycle, the valve closing before the firing thus preventing burned gases entering into pressure valve chamber H). The piston I2 is adjusted under control of the coil spring H by means of valve cap 28 which is screw threaded at 29 to variably engage the screw threaded housing 30 of the valve structure. As the pressure has increased in air pipes l5 and Hi to the pressure in i0, air pipes I! and I8 also have a like pressure but diifer from the pressure in air pipes and I6 as the pressure is locked in by air pressure check valve l9 and a portion of the compression is only relieved through passing obstruction or metering valves and 2| controlling the rate of flow of air.

The obstruction or metering valves 20 and 2| are individually adjustable to allow the vanes 20a and 2|c to extend wholly or partially into the air pipes l1 and H3 or to be selectively positioned at an angle to the aXis thereof to regulate the efiective size of the passage through which the air may flow. Figs. 2-4 show the details of construction of each of the metering valves which for purposes of illustration have been exemplified by metering valve 20 in which adjustable vane 23a slides transversely in valve housing 20g under control of the adjustment head 26b attached to screw threaded stem 200. The screw threaded stem 200 is adjustable through the screw threaded bushing 20d which is mounted in valve housing 20g. The vane 20a is slotted at 201 for the passage of the end of screw threaded stem 20c which is provided with transverse head 20c thereon engaged within the slot 20] so that the head 26c may freely revolve in slot 20) as the vane is advanced or retracted with respect to airpipe It for controlling the effective cross sectional area of airpipe l8. Metering valve 2| is constructed in a similar manner. The air under pressure then passes through valves 22 and 23, each of which is spring biased to closed position but free to open on the pressure in pipes I! and [8 when the pressure increases to the proper point for the continued operation of the engine. The flow of air in pipes l1 and I8 into sections I and 2 is controlled by obstruction or metering valves 20 and 2| in order to maintain an even pressure in combustion chamber 9 and sections I and 2 until the completion of compression cycle of piston 34.

As the air in air pipe l8 passes nozzle 25 it is sprayed with gasoline vapor through an appro-- priate atomizing orifice. Under these conditions the gasoline vapor now collect in section 2 under a pressure controlled by the adjustable obstruction or metering valve 20 and equal to pressure in section I. As the air in pipe I! passes check valve 26a it is sprayed along with diesel fuel oil through the open nozzle or atomizing device 25a. The diesel oil sprayed compressed air in air pipe l1 that has passed nozzle 25a passes through the obstruction or metering valve 2| into section of the pre-combustion chamber at a pressure controlled by the obstruction or metering valve 2| as near cylinder compression in the engine as it is practicable to adjust, preventing its flowing through port 5. Both of the obstruction or metering valves 20 and 2| are individually adjustable to control the size of the orifice through which the air in one instance, and the mixture of diesel fuel oil and air in the other instance is supplied to the rare-combustion chambers.-

It will be observed that the obstruction or metering valve 23 determines only the quantity of air supplied to section 2 while obstruction or metering valve 2| determines the quantity of both air and diesel fuel mixture that is supplied to section I of the pre-combustion chamber, as in the first instance the obstruction or metering valve 20 is located in advance of the gasoline feed nozzle 25 while in the second instance the obstruction or metering valve 2| is located after the diesel fuel feed nozzle 25a in the feed path to the section I.

During the rotative cycle within the progressive range of 20 to 45, before dead center and adjustably controlled by spark advance, gasoline vapor is fired in section 2 of the pre-combustion chamber creating a pressure which forces the charge into section igniting the diesel fuel oil and vapor therein which then passes through port 5 into the combustion section of cylinder 9 of the engine where combustion is completed and power generated. The flow of partially combusted fuel sperms from section I: intoenginelcylinder 9 is regulated by the size of port- 5 to meet the revolutions per minute ofthe engine. After the power stroke of the piston the usual scavenger cycle :of the engine expelsth'e burned gases. This operation takes place sequentially from engine cylinder to engine cylinder in their regular firing order and applies to an engine with two or more cylinders.

' Both ports 5 and 6 maybe varied insize, shape and direction. and: the pre combustion. chamber should be large enough and so constructed that an ordinary spark plug can be inserted intosection Z-as shown at 4. Section I may be cleaned out from time to time by removal of cleaning plug 21. At times, particularly in cold weather, it may be desirable to heat the air by the engine exhaust before it is drawn into the cylinder.

The combustible mlxture which is supplied to the engine cylinder through port- 5 is obtained by a collision effect between the gasolinevaporinjected into section i of the PIE GOIIlbLlSbiO-ll chamher and the diesel fuel oil-vapor injected from the diametrically opposite position in the wall of the pro-combustion chamber I through valve 23. These two pressure flow paths meet in the center of section of the pre-combustion chamber and the impact further aids the vaporization and com-mingling of -the mixtures which are supplied through port -5 to the engine cylinder. The diametrically opposite location of the two sepa rate injection means 6 and 23 withrespect to the ire-combustion chamber is an important feature of my invention.

A slow speedinternal combustion engine, one

making say 1080 or less revolutionsper minute, r

they be successfully operated with the" pro-combustion chamber of my invention without the use of the pressure valve andconnections for regulating pressure in sections I and 2 other than hereinafter mentioned. This is done by utilizing the 1 suction of the engine cylinder to which the precombustion chamber is attached. The pre-combust'ion chamber is attached as shown inaccompanying drawing, one to each cylinder of the engine, except that sections l and 2 are placed in a horizontal position. As described above two fuel tanks are-required and the intake manifold of the engine is detached from the carburetor and thus supplies pure air to the cylinders. The gasoline supply is connectedto an ordinary carburetor, or similar device, to-which it is pumped-or "flows by gravity. The diesel fuel oil, or other heavy fuel oil, supply is connected to dieselfuel feed chamber '36, or similar device, to which it is pumped or flows by gravity. vaporized gasoline and air is drawn from the carburetor, ors-imilar device, by the suction stroke of the piston of cylinder to whichthe-pre-combustion chamber is'attached through a pipe and intake valve 22, which is preferably placed at 4, into sections 2 and l. A slight depression or well large enough to hold a charge of diesel fuel oil ismade at the bottom of section I in relation to its new position. The same piston'suction draws a charge ofd iesel fuel oil, or other heavy fuel oil, from diesel fuelfeed chamber 36, or similar device, through a pipe and intake springvalve 23 into section I. Most ofthe diesel fuel oil, or other heavy fuel oil, in section 1 at the beginning ofthe compression stroke of the piston of cylinder to which the pro-combustion chamber is, attached is in liquid form. Said-com pression stroke forces air through port 5, which is. preferably slantedtoward port 6,, compressing and forcing most of the gasoline and vapor then inysection I through port 6 into section 2. Port 6 being preferably funnel shapedxwith the smaller opening of funnel section, I. and slanted so the explosiveforce from section 2-;strikes the slight depression 01 well at bottom of section. I. In relation to the new positionof the rare-combustion chamber the spark plug opening is preferably made in the top of section 2 and. the opening for intakemspring valve 23 is prefer-ably made in the slight depression or :well at the bottomv of section I.

:The gasoline vapor in section'.2 is exploded by theregular ignition of the gasoline engine and theorder of ignition, explosion and power generation is the same as hereinabove described, that is,,1t he pressure of the ignited charge in section 2 forces-the chargethrough the portopeningSin section I igniting the diesel fuel oil, orother heavy fuel oil, and vapor therein. The resultant pressure forces the burning charge through port 5 into the combustion chamber [of the cylinder where the combustion is completed thus generating power. The usual scavenger stroke of the piston expels burned gases. A slow speed internal combustion engine with one or more cylinders may be operated by this method.

In the methods of operation described above the gasoline feed, which is preferably permanently fixed, is regulated by the adjustment of pressure valve or carburetor and the diesel fuel oil, or other heavy fuel oil, feed is regulated by a throttle connected with the diesel fuel oil, or other heavy fuel oil, feed pipe.

While I have described some of the preferred embodiments of my invention I realize that modifications may be madeand I intend no limitations upon my invention other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. An internal combustion engine comprising an engine cylinder and co-ac-ting piston therein,

a pair of fuel feed lines, one of which delivers gasoline and the other of which delivers a heavier oil fuel, a pro-combustion chamberinclu-ding a gasoline combustion section and an interconnected heavier fuel oil combustion section, means interconnecting said heavier oil combustion section with said engine cylinder, 2. connection from the gasoline fuel feedline with said first mentioned section, a connection between said heavier oil fuel feed line and said second mentioned section, said last mentioned connection and the interconnectionbetween the gasoline combustion section and the heavier oil combustion section being diametrically aligned on opposite sides of said heavier oil combustion section, means for igniting gasoline fuel in said first mentioned section for sequentially firing the heavier oil fuel in said second mentioned sectionfor conjointly es:-

' tabl'ishing a pressure force in said engine cylinder,

means for establishing an air flow through each of said sections for facilitating the charging of said engine cylinder andmeans for regulating the pressureof said airflow independently of cyclic engine, cylinder compression.

.2. An internal combustion engine comprising an engine cylinder and. co-acting piston therein, a pair of fuelfeed lines, one of which delivers gasoline and the other of which delivers heavier oil fuel, apre-combustion chamber including a gasoline combustion section and an interconnected heavier fuel, oil combustion section, means interconnecting said heavier oil ,combustion sec.-

,tion. with said engine cylinder,.a connection from thegasollne fuel feed line with said first mentablishing a pressure force in said engine cylinder,

compression means for establishing a fiow of air through each of said sections at a predetermined velocity for facilitating the charging of said engine cylinder and means for regulating the pressure of said air fiow independently of cyclic engine cylinder compression.

3. An internal combustion engine comprising an engine cylinder and co-acting piston therein, a pair of fuel feed lines, one of which delivers gasoline and the other of which delivers heavier oil fuel, a pre-combustion chamber including a gasoline combustion section and an interconnected heavier fuel oil combustion section, means interconnecting said heavier oil combustion section with said engine cylinder, a connection from the gasoline fuel feed line with said first mentioned section, a connection between said heavier oil fuel feed line and said second mentioned section, said last mentioned connection and the interconnection between the gasoline combustion section and the heavier oil combustion section being diametrically aligned on opposite sides of said heavier oil combustion section and independently adjustable means for developing a flow of air through each of said connections, adjustable means for introducing atomized gasoline in said first mentioned connection, adjustable means for introducing atomized heavier oil fuel in said second mentioned connection, and means for igniting gasoline fuel in said first mentioned section for sequentially firing the heavier oil fuel in said second mentioned section for conjointly establishing a composite pressure force in said engine cylinder.

4. An internal combustion engine comprising an engine cylinder and co-acting piston therein, a pair of fuel feed lines, one of which delivers gasoline and the other of which delivers heavier oil fuel, a pre combustion chamber including a gasoline combustion section and an interconnected heavier fuel oil combustion section, means interconnecting said heavier oil combustion section with said engine cylinder, a connection from the gasoline fuel feed line with said first men tioned section, a connection between said heavier oil fuel feed line and said second mentioned section, said last mentioned connection and the interconnection between the gasoline combustion section and the heavier oil combustion section being diametrically aligned on opposite sides of said heavier oil combustion section, an atomizing nozzle for supplying atomized gasoline through said first mentioned connection, a separate atomizing nozzle for supplying heavier oil fuel through said second mentioned connection, compression means for establishing a flow of air through said connections, a metering device disposed in said first mentioned connection in advance of said atomizing nozzle on the compression side of said connection, a metering device disposed in said second mentioned connectionintermediate the atomized nozzle therein and said second mentioned section remote from the compression side of said connection and means for igniting the gasoline fuel in said first mentioned section and producing a collision between the flow of the heavier oil fuel and the ignited gasoline gases in alignment with the connection between said heavier oil combustion section and said engine cylinder for sequentially firing the heavier oil fuel in said second mentioned section for conjointly establishing a composite pressure force in said engine cylinder. 7

5. An internal combustion engine comprising an engine cylinder and co-acting piston therein, a pair of fuel feed lines, one of which delivers gasoline and the other of which delivers heavier oil fuel, a pre-combustion chamber including a gasoline combustion section and an interconnected heavier fuel oil combustion section, means interconnecting said heavier oil combustion section with said engine cylinder, a connection from the gasoline fuel feed line with said first mentioned section, a connection between said heavier oil fuel feed line and said second mentioned section, independently adjustable means for developing a flow of air through each of said connections, adjustable spring biased valve means for admitting a fiow of atomized gasoline from said first mentioned connection to said first mentioned section, independently adjustable spring biased valve means for admitting the flow of atomized heavier oil'fuel from said second mentioned connection into said second mentioned section, said spring biased valve means operating under control of said last mentioned flow above a predetermined engine operating speed for charging said sections, and means for igniting atomized gasoline fuel in said first mentioned section for sequentially firing the heavier oil fuel in said second mentioned section for conjointly establishing a composite pressure force in said engine cylinder.

6. An internal combustion engine comprising an engine cylinder and co-acting piston therein, a pair of fuel feed lines, one of which delivers gasoline and the other of which delivers heavier oil fuel, a pre-combustion chamber including a gasoline combustion section and an interconnected heavier fuel oil combustion section, means interconnecting said heavier oil combustion 'section with said engine cylinder, a removable and replaceable clean out plug disposed in the side of said heavier oil combustion section on the side remote from said engine cylinder and in alignment with the connection of said heavier oil combustion section with said engine cylinder, a connection from the gasoline fuel feed line with said first mentioned section, a connection between said heavier oil fuel feed line and said second mentioned section, said last mentioned connection and the interconnection between the gasoline combustion section and the heavier oil combustion section being diametrically aligned on opposite sides of said heavier oil combustion section, an atomizing nozzle for supplying atomized gasoline through said first mentioned connection, a separate atomizing nozzle for supplying heavier oil fuel through said second mentioned connection, compression means for establishing a flow of air through said connections, a metering device disposed in said first mentioned connection in advance of said atomizing nozzle on the compression side of said connection, a

'metering device disposed in said second mentioned connection intermediate the atomized nozzletherein and said second mentioned section remote from the compression side of said connection and means for igniting the gasoline fuel in said first mentioned section and producing a collision between the flow of the heavier oil fuel 10 and the ignited gasoline gases in alignment with UNITED STATES PATENTS tne connection between said heavier oil combus- Number Name Date tion section and sald engine cylmder for se- 1 333 541 Cowardin Man 9 1920 quentially firing the heavier oil fuel in said sec- 1377139 Murphy a 1921 0nd mentioned section for conjointly establishing 1633320 Francheth June 1927 a composite pressure force in said engine cylinder. 1653825 Saives 1927 LE$LIE THOMPSON- 1,753,253 Tacchella Apr. 8, 1930 2,071,237 Rupprecht Feb. 16, 1937 REFERENCES CITED 2,122,785 Tinker et a1. July 5, 1938 The following references are of record in the W 2,135,925 Tuschek Nov. 8, 1938 file of this patent: 

